


Blame It On The Weatherman

by faeryn



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Breakfast Show AU, Destiel - Freeform, Fluff, M/M, Meteorologist!Cas, confident!Cas, presenter!dean, shy!Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-12
Updated: 2014-09-12
Packaged: 2018-02-17 03:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2294576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faeryn/pseuds/faeryn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Sarah present Bright 'n Early, a local breakfast talk show, and are looking forward to welcoming their new meteorologist to the team. Unfortunately for Dean, he's not only <i>gorgeous</i>, but also completely charming and soon has the viewers eating out of the palm of his hand. Can Dean maintain his professional cool, or will a warm front blow in a storm he might not be able to weather?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blame It On The Weatherman

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pinkish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkish/gifts).



> Completely stems from [this post.](http://faeryn.tumblr.com/post/83794825143/visticuffs-x-news-au-omg-this-is)
> 
> Although I confess I didn't have the post to hand when I wrote this so it's actually gone in a pretty different direction XD
> 
> Enjoy!

"Ah, Dean!" Anna called him over, her gaze momentarily sliding into the middle distance as she listened to someone squawk on the headset she wore before focussing sharply back on him as he approached her. "I'm glad you're a little early, I need to introduce you to the new meteorologist." She pushed the man to her left forward a little and nodded in his direction. "Dean Winchester, Host, meet Castiel Collins, Meteorologist aka weatherman, and vice versa."

The man was dressed in a navy blue pinstriped suit with a blue tie and a crisp white shirt, and smiled warmly as he outstretched a hand for Dean to shake.

"Pleased to meet you," he rumbled and Dean was struck dumb for a moment at the vivid cobalt of the other man's eyes.

"B-blue..." he mumbled, his cheeks flaring with color, before he remembered himself and smiled back, albeit weakly. "Pleasure's mine," he slipped quickly into the persona he usually reserved for in front of the camera and flashed the man a lopsided, more confident smile. "See you on set," he winked before disappearing off to make-up, pushing down his rising anxiety forcefully.

"Don't mind him, Castiel," Anna said, watching him go with a smile, "he's all smiles and sass for the camera but off screen he's kind of shy 'till you get to know him."

 

An hour, and lots of fussing over hair and make-up later, and Dean sat on his usual couch with his co-host, Sarah, going over the stories for today and chatting about the guest they'd be introducing later on. Dean liked Sarah a lot. She was funny, outgoing, and generally the exact opposite of everything Dean was off camera. She was also his kid brother's fiancee, and that was more than enough reason to make Dean like her. Right now she was regaling him with her latest story about Sammy, and he couldn't help but laugh along with her, even though he knew full well the kind of antics his brother got up to.

"Ten minutes!" Anna called, bringing their attention back to the fact that they were at work and should be concentrating, and all too soon Dean found himself looking at the blinking light on Camera One and mentally preparing himself for four hours of, well, acting. He found himself glancing across the room to where Castiel sat on a stool beside the green screen that would be used to project the weather forecast for him. The man looked a little nervous, as expected on his first day, and met Dean's gaze with a weak smile. Dean tried to return it reassuringly, and he was pleased to see Castiel did appear to relax a little.

They breezed through the first 90 minutes of the show, Dean and Sarah's joking personalities making the morning fly by and before they knew it, Dean was looking into the camera with a grin and getting ready to introduce their newest team member.

"And now, I'm pleased to introduce our brand new meteorologist, who we hope will give us reports of bright skies and warm weather for this week. Over to you, Castiel!" Dean visibly sagged as the light blinked off on his camera, glad he would be out of the limelight for at least fifteen minutes while Castiel reported the weather for the state before a pre-recorded regional weather forecast would be played to the viewers.

Castiel's face lit up with a radiant smile as the light on his camera flicked on and he began talking animatedly in his rough, low voice. Dean was transfixed by the fluidity of his movements and how eagerly he gestured towards the green screen, knowing purely by memory and expertise what image would be shown for him. It seemed as though the whole bustle of the floor halted as Castiel spoke, everyone watching the new guy with varying degrees of interest as he described warm fronts, and cold fronts, pressure changes, and pollen counts.

 

That was six months ago and now Castiel was one of the most favored members of their morning show team; his ineffable cheer and relentless positivity drawing people to him like hummingbirds to nectar. It helped that he was just plain gorgeous, too, Dean thought - though he was careful not to express that thought aloud to anyone. Their popularity ratings had shot through the roof within weeks of Castiel's joining the team and within a couple of months Dean and Sarah had found themselves dragged back into the photography studio with Castiel to re-take their billboard photos. It seemed that the network had noticed Castiel's popularity and weren't above using his handsome features and contagious smile to entice viewers.

On camera, Dean and Castiel had an easy friendship. They often bantered back and forth with Sarah taking the middle ground and acting as mediator while the cameras rolled. As soon as they were off air, though, Dean bolted for his dressing room and slipped out the back door as soon as he was presentable for the outside world. Where Castiel was open and welcoming, Dean was shy and withdrawn, and had a reputation for being 'rude' off air. It wasn't his fault, the audience had a hard time understanding that what they saw on screen was a persona and that in real life he just wanted to keep to himself. He loved presenting the show with Sarah, but he often thought he had gone into the wrong line of work since he wasn't the most social of people.

"Dean!" Castiel's voice called him just as he reached the back door one morning and Dean cursed internally, annoyed that his decision to stop and change his shirt had delayed him enough for Castiel to catch him. "So glad I caught you," Castiel said as he trotted up beside him, hands shoved in his pockets casually. "Listen, Sarah and I usually go out for breakfast after - you're always gone before we leave but we'd love it if you'd come with us. Please?" Castiel tilted his head to one side in a characteristic gesture Dean was used to seeing for a myriad of reasons, and turned on the puppy dog eyes with an intensity that rivalled his little brother's.

And this was Dean's problem. He just couldn't say no to Castiel. He avoided the man because he was fully aware of the massive crush he had on him, and he knew that if Castiel asked him to do something outrageous with that head tilt he would hop to it before he had a chance to consider the consequences.

"S-sure, Castiel," he said weakly, letting the door swing shut in his face and turning towards the meteorologist.

"Great!" Castiel's face lit up, as it always did when he smiled, and his eyes crinkled at the corners as his lips parted to reveal pearly white teeth and pink gums.

It took all of Dean's self control not to press him against the very door he had been trying to escape through and lick into that soft, plush mouth, proprietary be damned. He squashed that thought deep, deep down inside himself and let Castiel link their arms, tugging him back towards Sarah's dressing room, only half-listening to the man's eager chattering.

"I found him, Sarah," Castiel called as they pushed their way into her room.

Sarah turned from the mirror where she was discarding the ostentatious, dangling earring supplied by wardrobe for a pair of her own, far more modest, studs.

"Ah, sorry Cas! I can't come to breakfast this morning; Sam and I are off to look at venues all day and I just don't have time for more than a quick bite," she rushed across the room, brushing her lips across the cheeks of her future brother-in-law and her favorite coworker. "Have fun you crazy kids!"

And with that whirlwind of motion, Sarah was gone. Leaving Dean and Castiel in the doorway of her dressing room, one blinking in confusion and the other shrugging nonchalantly.

"Oh well, more pancakes and bacon for us - right Dean?" Castiel beamed at Dean and waggled his eyebrows and Dean knew he was completely screwed.

 

"You don't like me very much, do you?" Castiel asked him over breakfast, and Dean choked on his eggs, taking a deep gulp of orange juice to wash it down before he coughed scrambled chicken foetus all over Castiel's own meal.

"What the hell gives you that idea?" He asked irritably, wheezing a little as he cleared his airways.

"Aside from the fact that you avoid me like I'm contagious, and are visibly uncomfortable having breakfast with me?" Castiel didn't seem overly perturbed by the fact, stating it outright like it was no big deal, though Dean swore he saw a flash of disappointment or - hurt? - in Castiel's eyes before they were lit from within again by his incorrigible smile. "In the six months I've been here, we have socialised outside of required work environments exactly three times, including this breakfast. During those encounters you have said barely ten words to me before excusing yourself as quickly as possible. It's okay, I'm not trying to make you feel uncomfortable, I would simply like to know why, if there is a reason - did I do something to upset you? I have tried to be as amiable as possible, and we seem to have a reasonably good working relationship on camera, but off camera I seem to have irreparably damaged our relationship somehow. I would like to make amends, if I can."

Castiel finished his short speech with little fuss, cutting a piece of pancake with the edge of his fork and pushing it into his mouth, pink tongue licking up a drip of maple syrup from the corner of his mouth. Dean fought off an urge to lean over the table and help him out, his heart tapping a staccato beat against his ribs as his traitorous mind assailed him with thoughts of tasting the sweetness of the pancakes and syrup on Castiel's mouth.

"You've not done anything, Castiel," Dean said quietly, poking at his food listlessly, "I'm just not much of a people person." That was mostly the truth. Dean generally didn't spend much time with his other colleagues, so he hadn't expected anyone to notice he'd been especially avoiding Castiel - least of all the man himself.

"See, now, you say that, but I've seen the way you are with some people. You're so open with Sarah, and when your brother is around you're a whole different person. I've watched you talk Chuck down out of a panic attack when he thinks everything's about to go horribly, horribly wrong. I know you spent an hour with Anna letting her cry on your shoulder when she thought her boyfriend was cheating on her. Lisa brought Ben in for the day and you spent the whole time he was here finding ways to entertain him, even though he's just your coworker's kid. You're incredibly kind and thoughtful, so I know you do like people. Just not me." Castiel was looking down at his plate, his tone light but a tension in his body that indicated he was bothered by the fact that Dean didn't seem to like him, and Dean swallowed nervously.

"I do like you, Castiel, I do, I swear." Dean didn't know what else to say; how could he explain to Castiel that it was the very fact that he liked him too much that was the problem, without completely alienating him? 

“That’s another thing, you always use my full name,” Castiel remarked and Dean grimaced.

“ _Cas_ ,” he began in an exasperated tone before a loud screeching noise assaulted his ears. 

“Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh it’s _Castiel Collins!_ ” A breathy voice said from nearby, and both men looked up to see a couple of young blond girls looking extremely excited. “Mister Collins!” The first girl exclaimed, and Dean bent his head, trying to fold in on himself so he wouldn’t be noticed. Thankfully, the two girls seemed far more interested in Castiel than anyone or anything else.

“Well hi, girls, pleased to meet you,” Castiel greeted them warmly, waving them over until they were standing by their table, bouncing on the balls of their feet, and all but _vibrating_ with excitement.

“Ohmygosh it’s _so good_ to meet you too, Mister Collins! My name’s Becky, and this is my best friend Rachel, and we are _huge_ fans of yours! Ohmygosh, would you please sign my notebook? And could we take a picture with you? And-“

Dean stopped listening as the two girls gushed and Castiel responded to them with grace and sincerity, allowing them to take photos with him and signing the items they thrust at him with a Sharpie one girl pulled from _absolutely nowhere_. Eventually, he asked them to excuse him, as he was having breakfast with a friend, and they finally left, giggling and glancing back at him excitedly. 

“Sorry about that.” 

Dean shook his head, a small smile on his lips as he waved away the apology. 

“Don’t sweat it, I’m just glad they were too busy talking to you to notice me.” He scooped the last of his food into his mouth and then pushed up from the table to go and pay. 

 

Dean was glad, as they walked back to the studio where they had left their cars, that Castiel seemed to have dropped the line of questioning. Just as he had this thought, of course, Castiel seemed to remember that they were in the middle of a conversation when they had been interrupted by the fans. 

“So, if you don’t dislike me, then why do you go out of your way to avoid me, then?” He stopped walking and squinted in confusion, tilting his head to one side like a bird or a curious dog and Dean was once again struck with an overwhelming urge to kiss him stupid, even though they were standing right out on the street where anyone could see them.

“Look Castiel,” a sharp look from Castiel and he bit his tongue, “ _Cas_. You’re a great guy. You’re funny and interesting and gregarious. You’re basically the exact opposite of everything I am. In front of the camera I can pretend I’m like you, but in reality I’m just… I’m _not_. I’m not a morning person. I don’t like getting up at four in the goddamn morning. I don’t like working six till ten. I do it because I actually enjoy the work itself, just not the hours. I don’t get people who can be as… as _chirpy_ as you are all the time.” He shuffled his feet and looked decently embarrassed at his outburst. 

“Dude, you’re good with people; look how you handled those girls at the diner! Everyone thinks I’m rude because I don’t like being harassed when I’m not working, but I just really don’t like talking to people. I guess I figured…” He huffed, running his fingers through his hair and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I just didn’t wanna drag you down. I know my moods can affect other people, and you’re just so damn _happy_ that I didn’t want to, y’know, do anything to change that. Figured if you didn’t have to deal with stupid, socially awkward me you might actually get on well at the studio and the network might put you on the fast track to some prime time slot.”

There was a long silence as Dean resolutely studied his shoes, noting a scuff mark on the toe of one he really must make time to buff out. He really couldn’t bring himself to look at Castiel right now, he knew what he would see there anyway. Either pity, because outgoing people never understood introverts like Dean, or disgust - for the same reason. A soft sigh drew his attention and his eyebrows shot up in surprise at the odd look on Castiel’s face. 

“Dean, I’m sorry. I never intended to give you the impression that I’m like that at all. Honestly, the reason I’m so, what did you call it? Gregarious, is because I am so afraid of people disliking me, or of saying something wrong, that I just can’t seem to stop talking. The more I make people smile and laugh the less likely they are to dislike me. That’s why I find the fact you seem to be so uncomfortable around me so distressing, because I can’t bear the thought of someone hating me, least of all someone I admire so much as you.” Now it was Castiel’s turn to not look Dean in the eye, and he cast his gaze around the area, glad they had taken a back route to the studio so there weren’t too many people around. 

“You… what?” Dean was stunned, he couldn’t imagine someone as amazing as _Castiel freakin’ Collins_ would ever admire him, let alone be worried about what he thought of him. “Cas, you’re awesome, anyone who didn’t like you would have to be crazy or stupid.” 

They stood there staring at each other for a long moment, not sure exactly how to proceed before Castiel suddenly released his smile across his face like the first ray of sunshine after a storm and Dean couldn’t help but smile back at him. It would be so easy, he thought, so easy to just step forward and kiss him. Press their lips together like it was something they had done a hundred times before. Again, he pushed away the urge, but he knew it hadn’t gone quite so far away as before.

 

Things didn’t change too much for them after that, except that Dean joined Sarah and Castiel on their daily breakfasts more often and could frequently be caught deep in conversation with the meteorologist about all manner of subjects, from impending weather fronts to classic rock. Their banter on screen gained a warmer quality, going from frigid teasing to genuine camaraderie and the show’s ratings went through the roof, especially as they moved into summer vacation. Everything seemed to be going well, until the network introduced “Fan Mail Fridays”. 

Dean was used to the occasional gimmick, and even the occasional fan letter that wound up in his dressing room. Not many people wrote to him, of course, since he wasn’t the ‘chirpy’ one - Sarah tended to get most of their mail, and Castiel, he knew, got tons. Reading fan mail out on air was likely going to just be a way for the network to stroke their egos about how much everyone loved the show, and after a few weeks of flooded inboxes it would most likely be axed in favor of something less repetitive. So Dean embraced the new segment, winking at Castiel across the set and nudging Sarah conspiratorially as he sliced open the first envelope with the letter opener he’d been provided.

“Good morning!” He read, the letter written on sensible notepaper in sparkly pink gel pen, “I just wanted to say I love the show so much and I’d love it if you’d read my letter out on air! I absolutely love Dean and Castiel, they’re so cute!” Dean’s eyes scanned on a bit and his face flushed bright red as he fought to regain his composure. He spluttered, but before he could discard the letter and move on to the next with some witty quip, Sarah plucked it from his fingers, correctly guessing that there was more to the letter that he didn’t want to share.

“It’s so wonderful,” she read and Dean covered his face with his hands, unable to look up at any of the others, “to see two people so openly in love. I watch the show every morning, never stop! Kisses, Charlie.”

An awkward silence fell over the studio before Sarah began to laugh and grabbed another letter, slitting it open with practiced ease while Dean hid his burning face. 

“Oh wow, haha, I don’t think I can actually read this one on air,” Sarah laughed, a blush tinging her cheeks as she dropped the letter in front of Dean and dove for another. 

Dean slumped over the desk as Sarah read out letter after letter, cackling with glee at the content of most of them. It seemed that Dean and Castiel’s daily ‘banter’ had been completely misconstrued by the audience and they thought the two men were a _couple_. Dean was mortified. Thankfully the segment was only fifteen minutes, and Sarah spent at least five of that laughing her ass off at Dean’s expense, so it was over quickly enough and they cut to a commercial break to give him some time to compose himself. 

Gingerly, Dean lifted his head from his arms and risked a nervous glance at Castiel, expecting the meteorologist to have a similar stricken look of terror on his face. To his surprise, however, Castiel was laughing widely and beaming in his direction, clearly unruffled by the entire thing. Dean took a deep breath, held it for a moment and then let it out slowly, imagining the tension draining away at the same time. It worked, mostly.

“C’mon Dean, that was hilarious. I mean, _I_ knew you guys were into each other, but I never guessed the viewers would notice too!” Sarah nudged him with her elbow and for a brief moment he wasn’t sure he liked his brother’s girlfriend all _that_ much after all.

“We’re _not_ into each other,” Dean growled but Sarah just rolled her eyes and made disbelieving noises as they prepared for the cameras to turn back on after the commercials. 

 

“Hey, Dean, aren’t you coming to breakfast?” Castiel called as he jogged across the set before Dean could escape. 

“Uh, no. I don’t think we should be seen in public after that,” Dean mumbled quietly, staring down at his sneakers and wishing he could hide the light flush that crossed his cheeks.

“Why?” Castiel’s voice was full of hurt and Dean couldn’t help but look up into those blue eyes, though he immediately regretted it.

“C’mon Cas! They all think we’re a couple. It’s… it’s not fair on you, okay? Just go with Sarah and have a good time, okay? I’ve got some shit to do.” He turned away but Castiel caught his sleeve and clamped strong fingers around his wrist.

“Why isn’t it fair on me? And why should I care what they think? I don’t care if they want to think we’re a couple, Dean, and you shouldn’t either. Unless there’s something you want to tell me,” Castiel’s eyes turned hard and darkened in dangerous anger. “Are you one of those guys who thinks two men shouldn’t be together?” His voice was a low growl and something stirred deep inside Dean at the tone.

“No! No, of course not. The opposite, dude, jeez. Just, you shouldn’t be associated with a grump like me. Not you.” Dean felt his skin grow cold at the words, knowing that Castiel deserved so much better than him and that it was an almost physical pain at the idea that people thought of them the one thing Dean was trying _so hard_ not to think of himself. 

“Wow, Sarah said you were oblivious but I thought she was just being facetious,” Castiel said in wonderment and Dean barely had a second to process his words before Castiel crowded into his space and pressed their lips together firmly. 

It was over in an instant, barely a kiss at all really, but Castiel took a step back with a fierce look in his eyes, though not without a small hint of fear flickering there behind. Dean was stunned for a moment, not sure what to do, before twisting his wrist from Castiel’s grip and grabbing his hand, yanking him into his dressing room and pressing him against the desk, covering Castiel’s mouth with his own in a heated, desperate kiss. He, too, broke away quickly, but not before seeing the expression of relief cross Castiel’s face.

“I, uh, didn’t pick up on that wrong, did I?” Dean asked nervously, skating his fingertips across the back of Castiel’s hand and the man shook his head with a smile.

“Not even a little bit.” Leaning in to kiss him again, Castiel pulled Dean close and gently slid his hands up Dean’s back, making the taller man shudder a little. He’d dreamed of this for _so long_ , how Castiel’s lips would feel on his own, how he would taste, and now _oh god_ , they were kissing and it was _incredible_. 

 

The following week Sarah expected Dean to refuse to do the Fan Mail Friday segment and looked apprehensively at him as the bag of letters was deposited on the table in front of him. To her surprise, Dean plucked the first letter from the pile and opened it in one smooth movement.

“Dear Bright ’n Early,” his eyes were skimming forward, but he read carefully and professionally, “I know you must get this a lot but I really love the show! I can’t get enough of how Dean and Castiel look at each other, it always starts my day with a bounce! And Sarah is just the perfect mediator for those two, they’re an awesome team. You guys rock, keep up the great work! Love and hugs, Aaron.” He beamed at Castiel and then at the camera as he folded the letter and slipped it carefully back in its envelope. “Thanks Aaron, you rock too! Hear that, Cas? We start his day with a bounce,” Dean winked at his boyfriend and Sarah giggled into her palm at the flirtation, Castiel merely beaming back at him.

 

“Some days you start _my_ day with a bounce too,” Castiel said later, as they lay tangled together in his bed, and Dean laughed and kissed him until they were both breathless and giggling.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr! On my [main blog](http://faeryn.tumblr.com) or my [very quiet writing sideblog.](http://faerynfics.tumblr.com)


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